DORCHESTER — US Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), both former presidential candidates, went head-to-head in a live debate on today (Monday, June 13, 2022), with Fox News anchor Bret Baier moderating. The debate was held at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate.

Among the headlines from the debate was Sanders’ clarification that he did not support “defunding” the police.

“Just one thing, as a matter of fact, I never called for the defunding of the police,” said Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats. As a former mayor of Burlington “who worked very well with our police department,” Sanders was quoted as saying. He believes “we need community-based policing that reflects the people in those communities, that we have to fight racism in every way that we can. But I’ve never called for defunding the police.”

The moment came during the live debate, which is part of a series by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, to help leading senators find common ground on policy issues. It will also air on Fox News on Saturday, June 18 at 7 p.m.

All photos by Bill Brett